Engine-starter.



A. S. DIACK.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2B. 1910.

Patented July 11,, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l A. S. DIACK.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION r1110 APR.28, 1910.

Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ALEXANDER S. DIACK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jul 11, 1916.

Application filed April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,278.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER S. DIACK, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in thecounty of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.I

The invention-relates to a starting mechanism for explosive engines,designed ,to impart the initial stroke or strokes to the engine pistonwithout the necessity of cranking, and it consists in the constructionof theLmechanism, in the peculiar arrangement and combination of' parts,and in various details of construction, as will be more fullyhereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a vertical central section through anembodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section on line m-a ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a. sectional perspective view; Figs. 4 and 5 are viewssimilar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in different relations; Fig. 6 isan enlarged detail view of a portion of my invention.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown and will describe theinvention as embodied in a mechanism especially designed for use inconnection with automobiles, the starter being adapted to act upon thefly wheel of the engine. It will be understood, however, that this isthe preferred form, and that the invention is susceptible of variousmodifications and other uses.

The reference-letter A represents an explosive engine of any approvedtype, B its shaft, and C the fly wheel having formed preferably on itsfacean annular series of teeth, as D.

A cylinder E auxiliary to the engine cylinder is'mounted in proximitytothe fly wheel, the end F distant from the wheelbeing closed and theadjoining end open, as shown in Fig. 1. v

G is a piston working within the cylinder,

and H its rod pivoted to the head and supported by a pivoted link I in aposition for engagement at its free end with the fly/ wheel. The linkdescribed is formed preferably wih an enlarged rounded head, as J, atits upper or free end, which is designed to have a limited slidingmovement Within a guide K upon the piston rod, this sliding movementbeing limited by the stops K and K at opposite ends of the guide.Preferably interposed between the head and a stop, as K, is a spring K?having one end secured to the stop K and the opposite end to the head.

I is a lug upon the cylinder E having a portion I projecting below thecylinder to which the link I is pivoted and provided with an extension Iarranged within the cylinder. The extension I is adapted to engage alongitudinal slot I inthe piston G and forms a guide to prevent turningof the piston.

A wheel engaging member, as L, is provided for the, piston rod in theform of a shaft or rod located within a bore in theend of the rodproper, and interposed between the bore end and the adjoining end of therod described is resilient material M, forming a yielding abutment toabsorb the shock occasioned by the contact of the rod with the flywheel; also, I preferably pro vide a hinged tip, as O, for the member L.This construction allows the engaging end "of the rod to befolded'rearwardly in the event of the reversal of the fly wheel due toback firing, thus preventing any possibility of breakage of the starter.

F or returning the piston to its initial position after operation, Iprovide studs, as S,

one upon each side of the piston, that travel within slots S in thecylinder, and springs T connected to the studs. Upon one of these studsis arranged one of the terminals U of the igniting circuit, and upon a'bracket V upon the cylinder is the complementary terminal, theterminals being adapted to contact after a slight initialtravel of theplunger or piston.

W is an exhaust port within the cylinder for the gases in the forwardpart of the cylinder, and X is a similar port in the end F, permittingthe return movement of the piston. This latter port is controlled by avalve Y, held normally away from its seat by a spring Z.

Z is a spring abutment upon the cylinder casting, limitingthe forwardsliding move ment of the plunger.

Upon the auxiliary cylinder is mounted preferably a casting, theinterior of which forms a storage chamber A-for the explosive mixture.The spark plug A is preferably located in the storage chamber.

y B is a port between the storage chamber and cylinder leading to therear of the piston, and O is'a slide valve controlling this portoperated in this instance by a spring pressedlever D F represents acarbureter, and G acongllt conneetingit with the storage chamr.

H is a' source of compressed air supply,

9 and H is a valve-controlled connection leading from the. same to thecarbureter.

. vThe interior of, the carbureter referred'to is divided intocomplementary compartments a and b by a suitable partition 1. thecompartment a is arranged preferably a quantity. of -[metal' gauze, andwithin the chamber 6 hydrocarbon oil. for the b" b are inlet: and-ventports chamber b,'and"v b-iis a conduit leading from the lower. portionof this compartment upavardly through the partition into the upper 4 Iportion of chamber-w, oil being adapted to forced through the pipeon tothegauze toproperly impregnate the same, so that 5. as the air''ispsubsequently' forcedv through the compartment .it will beproperlycharged-to form the expldsive mixture. 7

,z'rep'resents a checkevalve 'in the conduit G", acting to prevent areturn of the mixture to thegcarbureter 'from the storage ,cha'm- A; 7'is a si milar valve within the con-- duit-.-H preventing back flow intothe itank'H-'.- 'f

In the" normal position 'of the starter the parts are in the. positionindicated in Fig;

'1, theheadJ then being adjacent the outer endjof the guide K, since thelower end of Lthe member I has it's rearward movement limited byengaging the bottom of the casing! E, as will be" readily apparent uponref- 61: It *Figyi; In this' 'position the spring eut'ral position, orwhere, it exerts o' "andflthe ffree end ofthe' plunger m it a i re urjeexerted driving? the'p'iston forthe end -ofgi-the 'plungerflengaggWithin tral position. Uponbackward movement of the piston Gthe spring-Kwill remain in neutral position. This will cause the outer] end of thepiston rod to travel a diflerent are from the path which said endtravels When in engagement with the fiy-wheel for in the forwardmovement of the plunger, the head J is toward the rear of the guide,while, on' the return movement the head J is adjacent the forward end ofthe guide. The distance between the head J and the outer end of thepiston rod therefore, is shortened :upon the return movement of thepiston.

As the initial movement of the plunger is completed, the sparking isautomatically effected, the outward movement of the plunger caused bythe explosion being of suflicient force to revolve the fly-Wheel one ormore times. In. this manner the initial stroke of the engine piston iseffected, the

engine thereafter operating in the usual Upon the operation of thecontrolling I valve and the consequent discharge of the storage chambercontents, the oil from the chamber a 'ofthe carbureter is forced .by thedifference in pressure into the complementary compartment uponthe wiregauze,

j therein, the latter being in this manner properly impregnated tocharge the air pass ing through that compartment during the next cycleofoperation;

What I claim as my invention is,"

1. In starting mechanism for explosiveenglnes, the combination with; theengine shaft of a toothed member thereon, a cylin- -der auxiliary to theengine cylinder, provided with a piston having a member positioned toimpinge against the toothed member, means for charging thecylinder'f-with an e'xplosivemixture under pressure to imtially operate.the piston, and mechanism for automatically exploding the charge afterthe initial operation of the pistonhasbeen efi'ectedi v a 112.111starting mechanism for explosive Lenginespthecombination with the engineshafabfa fly Wheel thereon provided with a -jttoothed j surface, anauxiliary" cylinder and its ipiston, a rod pivoted to the piston ted -toimpinge against the fly ivoted'i supporting v member for ;li 1ni ted.sliding engagement meafisjof charging thev auxithg an explosive mixtured means for subsequently S xploding the charge; 7 gme hanism forexplosive --'t e-flcombinatiofifxwith :the engine ing'a..-fixed member,-of a cylinuxiliary' to the engine cylinder, a. pistoj thereimfa'pistonrod positioned toimping against thelsh'aft--member, and auto- 'm 'aticmeansffoncausin'g-Itherod to traverse.

h and outward and return movements thereof, for the purpose of impingingagainst the fixed member 1n one direction of movement and clearing thesame in the opposite direction.

4. In starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination with theengine shaft, of a fly wheel thereon, an auxiliary cylinder and itspiston, and a piston rod positioned to impinge against the wheel onoutward movement and automatic means for causing said piston rod toclear said \vheel upon its return travel.

5. In a starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withan engine shaft carrying a fixed member, of a cylinder auxiliary to theengine cylinder, a piston therein adapted to travel to the cylinderhead, a piston rod positioned to impinge against the shaft member, andautomatic means for causing the rod to traverse different paths duringeach outward and return movement thereof, to clear said shaft member inone direction of movement.

(3. In starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withthe engine shaft, of a toothed member thereon, a cylinder auxiliary tothe engine cylinder, a piston in the auxiliary cylinder, a rod carriedby said piston positioned to impinge against the toothed member, meansfor charging the cylinder with an explosive mixture under pressure toinitially operate the piston to move said rod in engagement with thetoothed member, and mechanism automatically operated by the initialmovement of the piston for exploding the charge.

7. In starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination with theengine shaft, of a toothed member thereon, a cylinder auxiliary to theengine cylinder, a piston in the auxiliary cylinder, a rod carried bysaid piston having a hinged outer end positioned to impinge against thetoothed member, means for charging the cylinder with an explosivemixture under pressure to initially operate the piston to move theextension in engagement with the' toothed member, and mechanismautomatically operated after the initial movement of the piston forexploding the charge.

8. In starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination with theengine shaft, of a toothed member thereon, a cylinder auxiliary to theengine cylinder, a piston in the auxiliary cylinder, arod carried bysaid piston having an extension positioned to engage the toothed member,a yield-able connection between said rod and its connection, means forcharging the cylinder with an explosive mixture under pressure toinitially operate the piston to move said extension in engagement Withthe toothed member, and mechanismautomatically operated after theinitial movement of the piston for exploding the charge.

9. In starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination with theengine shaft, of a member secured to the shaft to actuate the same, astationary cylinder auxiliary to the engine cylinder, a piston in theauxiliary cylinder,. a rod carried by said piston positioned to engageand actuatesaid member, means for charging the cylinder with anexplosive mixture under pressure to initially operate the piston to movesaid rod in engagement with said actuating member and mechanismautomatically operatedafter the initial movement of the piston forexploding the charge.

10. In starting mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withthe engine shaft of a toothed fly-wheel thereon, a cylinder providedwith a piston, a rod carried by said piston positioned to impingeagainst said toothed fly-wheel, means for charging the cylinder with anexplosive mixture under pressure to initially operate the piston to movesaid rod in engagement with the toothed fly-wheel, mechanismautomatically operated after the initial movement of the piston forexploding the charge, and means for causing said rod to clear the Wheelon its return travel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER S. DIACK.

Witnesses JAMES P. BARRY, W. J. BELKNAP.

